| 2003-2004 Winter Report |
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2004-2005 Winter Report (Coming soon) |
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For the most part, any hummingbird you see after mid-November in Southeast Louisiana
should be considered a Winter Hummingbird!
If you see a hummingbird in your yard between November 15th and February 15th, please contact me right away! Click here for how to do that. |
Only one species of hummingbird breeds in the eastern half of the United States: Ruby-throated. These birds migrate north from Mexico and Central America in the spring and return in the fall. A small portion of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds does wind up spending the winter here. These are most likely young birds that hatched late in the season and were unable to migrate for reasons that are not always clear. However, a number of species that breed in the western half of the United States and even in Mexico regularly show up along the Gulf Coast (and even areas inland!) during the winter. While many of these out-of-range birds are still anomalies, hummingbird researchers throughout the Southeast U.S. are documenting more and more returns of individuals to the same winter location. Scientists speculate that a segment of one species -- Rufous -- may even be establishing a second non-breeding region.
The arrival of these special birds makes hummer enthusiasts even more excited. By leaving feeders out year round, these folks are delighted when a winter hummer decides to take up residence in their yard for the winter. These western hummers will often show up during late summer while Ruby-throat migration is still taking place. When swarms of hummingbirds are vying for a turn at a feeder, it sometimes takes close observation and some knowledge to pick out unusual species. Learning to identify the different plumages and sounds of each species becomes an obsession for some hummer lovers.
The internet is a great resource for getting started. Bookstores and libraries offer a couple of excellent field guides on hummingbirds. Recordings of hummingbird squeals and chatter are more difficult to find, but lately several videos and CD's have hit the market.
For more than twenty years, researchers have been studying the occurrence of winter hummingbirds in Southeast Louisiana. Species reported every winter include Black-chinned, Buff-bellied, Broad-tailed, Calliope, Ruby-throated, and Rufous. Allen's (probably reported as Rufous), Anna's, and Broad-billed are less frequently reported. Louisiana has also had some very rare hummers documented: Blue-throated and Green Violet-ear.
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